New bishop announced

The Venerable Nicholas Reade will be consecrated in March 2004

The name of the new Bishop of Blackburn has been announced.

The Venerable Nicholas Reade, who is currently Archdeacon of Lewes and Hastings, will succeed the Right Reverend Alan Chesters.

Bishop Chesters is retiring after 14 years.

Archdeacon Reade, 56, grew up in Sussex and Guernsey and studied at Leeds University.

He was ordained in 1973 and became Archdeacon of Lewes and Hastings in 1997. He is married with a daughter.

Mr Reade is to become the eighth Bishop of Blackburn and is expected to be consecrated at York Minster in March.

Bishop Chesters says Archdeacon Reade will bring many creative ideas for the Church of England in Lancashire.